Wedging detent for waler brackets



Feb. 15, 1966 c. M. JAHN WEDGING DETENT FOR WALER BRACKETS 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Dec. 30, 1963 Fig. 2

INVENTOR. ar/ M. J0

A RNEY Fig. 6

Feb. 15, 1966 c, JAHN 3,235,217

WEDGING DETENT FOR WALER BRACKETS Filed Dec. 30, 1963 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Y INVENTOR.

ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,235,217 WEDGING DETENT FOR WALER BRACKETS Carl M. Jahn, 2120 S. Juliet St, Denver, Colo. Filed Dec. 30, 1963, Ser. No. 334,090 4 Claims. (Cl. 248-405) As a development from and an improvement in certain respects over the disclosures of United States Patents No. 2,967,689, dated January 10, 1961, and No. D. 192,231, dated February 13, 1962, this invention relates in general to waler brackets extensively utilized in coaction with headed tie-rods for the erection of concrete forms and more particularly to the detent feature associated with each such bracket actuable relative thereto in engagement with the head of a coacting tie-rod to wedgingly clamp and secure the bracket in its intended use disposition, and has an an object to provide a novel and improved wedging detent for waler brackets that is distinguished by superior function advantage.

A further object of the invention is to provide a novel and improved wedging detent for waler brackets that is reliably secure against inadvertent displacement from frictional retention in position of practical use.

A further object of the invention is to provide a novel and improved wedging detent for waler brackets that is uniquely adapted for effective initial engagement and retained coaction with an associated tie-rod.

A further object of the invention is to provide a novel and improved wedging detent for waler brackets that is actuable to develop clamping effects great in proportion to the applied actuating influences.

A further object of the invention is to provide a novel and improved wedging detent for waler brackets that is susceptible of production in diverse shapes, forms, and styles correspondingly featured for like functional merit.

A further object of the invention is to provide a novel and improved wedging detent for waler brackets that is expedient of economical production in any desired range of sizes and specific adaptations, that is rugged and durable in longcontinued, repetitious use, that is applicable with like attainment of function to cooperative association with various waler bracket structures, and that is positive and efficient in attainment of the purposes for which designed.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, my invention consists in the form, construction, and operative combination of elements and features as hereinafter set forth, pointed out in the appended claims, and illustrated by the accompanying drawing, in which FIGURE 1 is a fragmentary, detail view showing in perspective an exterior area of a concrete form organization as readied and consolidated for practical use through coaction of a tie-rod and a typical waler bracket equip ed with a pivotally-actuable wedging detent incorporating the improvements and refinements of the present invention.

FIGURE '2 is an elevational view, on a relatively-enlarged scale, showing in detachment from the associated bracket the outer, or exposed, face of the detent represented by FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 3 is a side view of the detached detent according to FIGURE 2 as seen from the left of the latter.

FIGURE 4 is a fragmentary side view showing the lower portion of the detached detent according to FIG- URE 2 as seen from the right of the latter.

FIGURE 5 is a transverse, sectional view of the detached detent taken substantially on the indicated line 5--5 of FIGURE 2.

FIGURE 6 is a transverse, sectional view of the detached detent taken substantially on the indicated line 66 of FIGURE 2.

FIGURE 7 is a view similar to FIGURE 1 showing the identical form component and bracket elements in ice cooperation with and reaction to an alternative form and style of wedging detent embraced within the scope and contemplation of the invention.

FIGURE 8 is an elevational view, on a relatively-enlarged scale, showing in detachment from the associated bracket the outer, or exposed, face of the detent represented by FIGURE 7.

FIGURE 9 is a longitudinal, sectional view of the detached detent according to FIGURE 8 taken substantially on the indicated line 9--9 of FIGURE 8.

FIGURE 10 is an elevational view of the lower end of the detached detent as represented by FIGURE 8.

FIGURE 11 is a transverse, sectional view of the detached detent according to FIGURE 8 taken substantially on the indicated line 1212 of the latter.

FIGURE 12 is a transverse, sectional view of the detached detent according to FIGURE 8 taken substantially on the indicated line 1212 of the latter.

As exemplified by FIGURES 1 and 7 of the accompanying drawings and elaborated in the patent first above noted, it is common and wide-spread practice to fabricate concrete forms from upright panels 15 traversed and held in desired spaced-apart relation by terminally-headed tierods 16 which project exteriorly of the form in supporting engagement with brackets 17 thereby disposed to carry and coact with horizontal walers 18 in an arrangement conditioned by the provision of a wedging detent generically designated 19 to apply the influence of the latter in reaction against the headed end of the tie-rod 16 to crowd the associated bracket 17 and waler 18 toward the opposed panel area and consolidate the elements so interclamped with positioned reference to the panel-spacing feature of the tie-rod. Of diverse size, proportions, and

structural particularly, the waler brackets 17 applicable as illustrated and described are usually characterized by a plane end area disposed in position of bracket use substantially parallel to the contiguous panel 15 and inwardly adjacent the headed end of the tie-rod 16 and by a coplanar upward extension 17' from said end area designed to bear on and overlie the outward margin of the associated waler l8, and the wedging detent 19 complementary to the bracket, of whatever type and con-struction, customarily shifta bly overlies and bears to apply its thrust reaction upon the ordinarily-smooth, plane surface of the bracket end area and its coplanar extension as the wedging component of the detent is urged to separating engagement between said plane end area of the bracket and the spacedly-adjacent head of the tierod. Formed from smooth-surfaced metal with a wedging component divergence large in proportion to its length, as is the usual practice dictated by use conditions, the metal onmetal frictions alone available to retain the detent in its adjusted dispositions on the bracket are frequently inadequate to secure the detent against slippage induced by stresses, vibrations, and the influences inherently tending to retract and loosen a wedge, in recognition whereof an important feature of the present invention is the provision of a distinctive conformation of the detent effective to apply its thrust reaction with enhanced security of grip against the end area of the bracket. Use in connection with waler brackets of the hitherto-known wedging detents has dem onstrated some unreliability of initial tie-rod head engagement with the detent during preliminary stages of form assembly and consolidation, some difficulty of effecting and maintaining manual introduction of the detent to snug correlation of the components to be interclamped thereby, and some rebound resistance to ultimate desired seating of the detent with adequate wedging effect, each and all of which attributes of the conventional detents are ameliorated with important practical advantage by the distinctive structural variations and refine- 3 ments characterizing the detent organization illustrat and hereinbelow described.

Generally equivalent in conformation, appearance, and mode of operation to the corresponding features disclosed by the patents above identified, the wedging detent 19 represented in FIGURES 1-6, inclusive, of the drawings is an approximately-triangular, rigid unit adapted for production from sheet material, as by stamping, or from molten material, as by molding, characterized by a major plate portion 20 having one surface suited to overlie and swing relative to the coplanar outer faces of the bracket end area and the extension 17 thereof. Adjacent a vertex, the plate portion 20 is apertured for engagement with a stud or headed pin 21 outstanding loosely therethrough from fixed engagement with and inwardly adjacent the upper margin of the bracket extension 17 in a correlation with the position of a tie-rod 16 engaged by the bracket such as to pivotally support the detent 19 in depending intersection with and for free-swinging oscillation across the position of tierod projection from the end area of the bracket in the practical use association thereof. The margin of the plate portion 2% remote from the stud or pin 21 is desirably arcuate in a spacing from the stud or pin such as to swing about the axis of the latter in overlying relation with the end area of the bracket 17 and the zone of said plate portion inwardly adjacent said arcuate margin is offset outwardly as a wedging component 22 in the form of a longitudinally-arcuate, cuneal boss inclining across the width of the plate portion from mergence with the outer face plane thereof adjacent one side margin of the detent to a substantial outward divergence from said plane inwardly adjacent the other detent side margin. Disposed to fully overlie the conjunction of the bracket end area and tie-rod 16 as the detent is swung on its pivotal mounting, the wedging component 22 is intersected by a corrcspondingly-arcuate, longitudinal throat 23 which opens through the side margin of the detent wherefrom the component diverges in a width to freely receive and slidably embrace the diameter of the tie-rod 16 and terminates in a closed end coincident with maximum divergence of the component boss away from the plate portion 20. It being the function of the throat 23 to accommodate the length of the tie-rod 16 projecting outwardly from the bracket 17 during use of the latter, whereby to engage the wedging component 22 between the end area of the bracket and the head terminating the tie-rod for separation thereof as the detent 19 is urged in the appropriate direction about its pivotal mounting, and such function and use of the throat and detent being attended by development of forces tending to spread the throat where it opens marginally of the detent, an integral yoke 24 is bent from the material of the plate portion 24) to outstand marginally and substantially perpendicularly therefrom at the same side as the wedging component offset in bridging relation over and across the open end of the throat 23. The yoke 24 is provided with an aperture 25 opening therethrough in communication with the open end of the throat 23 in a size and disposition to accommodate passage of the terminal head of the tie-rod as the detent 19 is moved to engagement therewith. Facilitating manipulation of the detent 19 in either direction of its operative travel, an integral ear 26 projects at an outward inclination from the margin of the plate portion 20 in position to receive impacts applied by a hammer or mallet to either of its sides.

Within the environment exemplified by the noted patents and hereinabove described, the purposes and ad vantages of the present invention are realized through three significant structural variations applied beyond the scope and contemplation of the previous disclosures to enhance the utility and practicality of the wedging detent therein shown. Effective to promote security of detent retention in adjusted position of use on and in frictional engagement with the bracket end area thereto opposed, an important structural variation distinguishing the detent in accordance with the present invention is realized through a slight cupping, or concaving, of the plate por-. tion 24? surrounding the wedging component 22 in such manner, difficult of adequate illustration, as to present but the peripheral corner 27 of said plate portion as the determinant of the inner face plane of the detent 19 frictionally engageable against and for transmission of wedge-induced thrust to the bracket end area. Obviously, the concaving, or cupping, of the plate portion 20 is ap plied to deflect the area thereof between the offset of the wedging component 22 and the detent margin spacedly circumscribing the same, with the exception of the vertex tang engaged by the stud or pin 21, in the same direction as the said component 22 with consequent reduction of the detent plane face area opposed to the bracket end area to little more than a line bounding the inner face of the detent, whereby the pressures incident to wedging action of the detent apply to interclamp the detent and bracket with pronounced and reliable frictional grip concentrated for superior bite along a line rather than over a wide surface.

A further distinctive and significant variation peculiar to the present invention is best shown by FIGURE 5 as an angled slope for the margins of the throat 23 engageable with and to apply thrust action of the wedging component 22 to the terminal head of the tie-rod 16. Initial assembly of the bracket, detent, tie-rod, and waler for intended use is ordinarily attended by a loose coaction of the detent with the headed end of the rod and some consequent arcuate play of the detent relative to the rod head before any wedging reaction can be had, hence it is feasible and desirable that the boss of the wedging component 22 rise rather steeply in its initial divergence from the plate portion 20 for a short distance inwardly from the open end of the throat 23 to provide, as at 28, a first and rather abrupt wedge inclination quickly effective through relatively slight displacement of the detent to take up any slack in the resulting coupling and to establish a wedging coaction therein sufiicient to retain the associated elements in an operative interrelation. Short in relation to the effective length of the wedging component 22, the steep rise portion 28 thereof quickly attains a divergence from the plate portion 20 approximately onethird of the maximum divergence characterizing the component and then merges smoothly into a more moderate inclination closing, as at 29, to the inner end of the throat 23 as a wedge-applying span of considerable length, low angle, and consequent high thrust potential with little tendency to slip. Organization of the carnming surface of the wedging component 22 to establish a first short, steep-rise segment serving and continued by a longer, lower-rise segment very much facilitates assembly and manual adjusted interrelation of the bracket clamp elements, augments the thrust capability of the wedging component, and promotes security of detent retention in its ultimate operative disposition.

A final important improvement distinguishing the present invention is the provision of means for associating and retaining the detent 1'9 and terminal head of the coacting tie-rod 16 in operative interrelation during assembly of the bracket clamp elements in condition for and prior to wedge-occasioned consolidation thereof. There being, as above noted, some freedom of play ber, tween the detent 19 and associated end of the tie-rod 16- as first assembled for coaction, it may readily occur that the detent may be dislodged to separation from the end of the tie-rod received in the open end of the throat 23,. there being in the conventional organization of the detent nothing to inhibit free passage of the tie-rod head in either direction through the aperture 25 of the yoke 24, especially when the said head is not constrained to seat on the areas of the detent inwardly adjacent to said yoke. It is conservative of labor time that the tie-rod head, however loosely engaged with the detent, be retained in oper ative correlation with the throat Z3 and camming areas of the wedging component 22, in furtherance whereof the instant invention provides integral points 30 upturned from the material of the plate portion 20 at each side of the open end of the throat 23 where the yoke 24 conjoins the plate portion in an extension such as to intrude slightly across the lower arc of the aperture 25 opening to the throat where they serve to check outward shift of the rod head once entered through the aperture without restricting passage of the head therethrough as the rod carrying the same is received in the open end of the throat 23.

Alternative to the pivotally-mounted, arcuately-actuable form and type of wedging detent 19 hereinbefore discussed there is known and extensively used a functional equivalent having the general style and organization shown in FIGURES 7-12, inclusive, whereto certain of the features of the present invention may be applied with advantage. Commonly known as of hair-pin type, the wedging detent 19 exemplified by FIGURES 7- 12 is conventionally comprised as an elongated, flat plate 20' formed with a straight wedging component 22 offset from and longtitudinally thereof and a straight throat 23' longitudinally intersecting said component. At the end of the component 22 merging to the plane of the plate 20 an integral, angularly-related yoke 24 having an aperture 25 spans the open end of the throat 23 to accom-.

modate operative correlation of the detent with the head of a tie-rod 1 6 as previously explained and the end of the said plate 20 remote from the yoke 24' is inclined to diverge from the plane of the plate at the same side thereof as the component 22' in a disposition available as an abutment 26' for the reception of impacts applied to the detent. Conventionally less than reliably secure in wedged, frictional coaction with the end area of the bracket 17, the hair-pin type detent 19 is amenable to improvement in accordance with the concept and principles of the invention through slight, lateral concaving of the plate portion 20' flanking the wedging component 22' whereby, as best shown in FIGURES 1'1 and 12, to concentrate the thrust reaction of the detent applied to the end area of the bracket at the outer plate portion corners 27' thus qualified for augmented bite in frictional engagement with the bracket surfaces thereto opposed, and by establishing at the camming margins of the throat 23' the angled slope, or inclination, distinguished by the first short, steep-rise segment 28 serving and merging with the longer, lower-rise segment 29 in an association structurally and functionally equivalent to that explained with reference to the segments 28 and 29 of the throat 23. Customarily applied to intended use with its throat 23' substantially vertical, as in FIGURE 7, the hair-pin type detent 19 drops to an initial wedging coaction with the head of the tie-rod 16 with little tendency toward displacement and hence no reason for the presence of the retaining points 30, or the equivalent, and conditioned by the concaved plate portion and angled throat margins as set forth, the alternative form and style of the wedging detent manifests the same functional advantages as are hereinabove elaborated in connection with the pivotallymounted, arcuately-actuable detent first described.

Since changes, variations, and modifications in the form, construction, and arrangement of the elements and features shown and explained may be had without departing from the spirit of my invention, I wish to be understood as being limited solely by the scope of the appended claims, rather than by any details of the illustrative showing and foregoing description.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a wedging detent for waler brackets having a plate member shiftable on and in overlying engagement with the smoothly-plane outer end face of a waler bracket, a wedging component formed as a cuneal boss integrally offset on said member in a divergent inclination away from the member area coactable with the bracket, and an elongated throat intersecting the divergent length of said boss from an end opening marginally of the member to receive and slidably embrace a terminally-headed tie-rod projecting perpendicularly and outwardly from engagement through the bracket outer end, whereby to apply the relative inclination of said boss as interrupted by said throat to wedging coaction with the terminal head of a tie-rod effective to augment separation of the head from the contiguous outer end of the bracket in reaction to appropriate shift of the member thereon, means for enhancing the applicable force potential of the wedging component with concomitant improved security of detent retention in adjusted positions of practical use, said means comprising an angular correlation of the inclined boss surface marginally of the throat adapted for coaction with the terminal head of a tie-rod correspondingly distinguished at each side of the throat by a first marginal segment short in relation to the length of the throat extending inwardly in a direction away from the opening of said throat at an inclination of divergence from the member steep relative to the average divergent inclination of the boss and a second marginal segment extending from the inner end of said first segment to the inner end of the throat in a length much exceeding that of the first segment and an inclination of divergence from the member less than that of the first segment, whereby appropriate shift of the detent promptly effects through short travel an initial frictional mating of the wedging component with the terminal head of a tie-rod and subsequent augmentation of wedging pressure deriving from longer travel at a lower angle of displacement of the inner throat margin segments relative to a tie-rod head attended by a frictional correlation highly resistant to inadvertent disruption.

2. In a wedging detent for waler brackets having a plate member shiftable on and in overlying engagement with the smoothly-plane outer end face of a waler bracket, a wedging component formed as a cuneal boss integrally offset on said member in a divergent inclination away from the member area coactable with the bracket, and an elongated throat intersecting the divergent length of said boss from an end opening marginally of the member to receive and slidably embrace a terminally-headed tie-rod projecting perpendicularly and outwardly from engagement through the bracket outer end, whereby to apply the relative inclination of said boss as interrupted by said throat to wedging coaction with the terminal head of a tie-rod effective to augment separation of the head from the contiguous outer end of the bracket in reaction to appropriate shift of the member thereon, means for enhancing frictional coaction of said member and the outer end face of the associated bracket to minimize inadvertent displacement of the detent from adjusted positions of practical use and for promotion of the applicable force potential of the wedging component with concomitant improved security of detent retention in adjusted use positions, said means comprising a slightly concave conformation of the plate member surface opposed to the bracket end face with consequent restriction of the planar bearing area of said surface to a line marginally thereof and an angular correlation of the inclined boss surface marginally of the throat adapted for coaction with the terminal head of a tie-rod correspondingly distinguished at each side of the throat by a first marginal segment short in relation to the length of the throat extending inwardly in a direction away from tse opening of said throat at an inclination of divergence from the member steep relative to the average divergent inclination of the boss and a second marginal segment extending from the inner end of said first segment to the inner end of the throat in a length much exceeding that of the first segment and an inclination of divergence from the member less than that of the tfirst segment, whereby pressures serving to interclamp the detent and bracket end act with effective frictional grip through a line contact of the member against the plane surface area of the bracket end thereto opposed and appropriate shift of the detent promptly effects through short travel an initial frictional mating of the Wedging component with the terminal head of the tie-rod and subsequent augmentation of Wedging pressure deriving from longer travel at a lower angle of displacement of the inner throat margin segments relative to a tie-rod head attended by a frictional correlation highly resistant to inadvertent disruption.

3. The organization according to claim 1, together with means opposing inadvertent escape of a tie-rod from initial embrace by said throat, said means including an integral aperture yoke outstanding in spanning relation with the open end of said throat marginally of and angularly from said member in the same side thereof as said boss in a registration of the yoke aperture with the throat accommodating passage of a tie-rod head therethrough as a tie-rod is received in the throat and integral retainer points upturned in the direction of, adjacent, and out of contact with said yoke at each conjunction of the yoke and the open end of the throat to penetrate the superjacent shift path available to a terminal head of a tie-rod through the aperture of said yoke.

4. In a lamp bracket removably and replaceably coactable with the headed terminal extension of tie-rod and a timber transversely thereof and having an outer end face portion, a member shiftable on and in overlying engagement with at least a part of the outer end face portion of said clamp bracket, said member having a tab portion formed on and extending outwardly therefrom, said member having a pair of spaced apart boss portions formed thereon and inclined to the surface thereof and an elongated opening formed therein, a portion of said opening which is disposed adjacent one end thereof being larger than the remainder of said opening, and at least a portion of said opening being disposed between said boss portions, each of said boss portions having a first segment disposed adjacent said large portion of said opening and having an angle of inclination steep relative to the average angle of the inclination of said boss portion and a second segment disposed adjacent said first segment and having an angle of inclination less than that of said first segment whereby an appropriate shift of said member promptly effects through initial movement an initial frictional mating of the boss portions with the terminal head of a tie-rod and subsequent augmentation of Wedging pressure deriving from continued travel at a smaller angle of inclination effects a frictional correlation highly resistant to inadvertent disruption.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,967,689 1/ 1961 'Jahn 248--'205 3,057,034 10/1962 Helmick 249-219 3,060,541 10/1962 Hillberg 24940 3,128,525 4/1964- Kay 249219 CLAUDE A. LE ROY, Primary Examiner. 

4. IN A LAMP BRACKET REMOVABLY AND REPLACEABLY COACTABLE WITH THE HEADED TERMINAL EXTENSION OF TIE-ROD AND A TIMBER TRANSVERSELY THEREOF AND HAVING AN OUTER END FACE PORTION, A MEMBER SHIFTABLE ON AND IN OVERLYING ENGAGEMENT WITH AT LEAST A PART OF THE OUTER END FACE PORTION OF SAID CLAMP BRACKET, SAID MEMBER HAVING A TAB PORTION FORMED ON AND EXTENDING OUTWARDLY THEREFROM, SAID MEMBER HAVING A PAIR OF SPACED APART BOSS PORTIONS FORMED THEREON AND INCLINED TO THE SURFACE THEREOF AND AN ELONGATED OPENING FORMED THEREIN, A PORTION OF SAID OPENING WHICH IS DISPOSED ADJACENT ONE END THEREOF BEING LARGER THAN THE REMAINDER OF SAID OPENING, AND AT LEAST A PORTION OF SAID OPENING BEING DISPOSED BETWEEN SAID BOSS PORTIONS, EACH OF SAID BOSS PORTIONS HAVING A FIRST SEGMENT DISPOSED ADJACENT SAID LARGE PORTION OF SAID OPENING AND HAVING AN ANGLE OF INCLINATION STEEP RELATIVE TO THE AVERAGE ANGLE OF THE INCLINATION OF SAID BOSS PORTION AND A SECOND SEGMENT DISPOSED ADJACENT SAID FIRST SEGMENT AND HAVING AN ANGLE OF INCLINATION LESS THAN THAT OF SAID FIRST SEGMENT WHEREBY AN APPROPRIATE SHIFT OF SAID MEMBER PROMPTLY EFFECTS THROUGH INITIAL MOVEMENT AN INITIAL FRICTIONAL MATING OF THE BOSS PORTIONS WITH THE TERMINAL HEAD OF A TIE-ROD AND SUBSEQUENT AUGMENTATION OF WEDGING PRESSURE DERIVING FROM CONTINUED TRAVEL AT A SMALLER ANGLE OF INCLINATION EFFECTS A FRICTIONAL CORRELATION HIGHLY RESISTANT TO INADVERTENT DISRUPTION. 